Telephone handset support



' Mar h 8, 1955 T. w. BOWMAN 2 703,82

TELEPHONE HANDSET SUPPORT I F iled Sept. 14, 1953 I INVENTOR. F I G 8 Thomas W. Bowman AT TORNE Y United States Patent This invenion relates to telephone instruments of the hand set type, comprising the usual receiver and transmitter mounted at opposite ends of a common handle member, thus constituting a freely movable unit.

The unit is normally held in the hand when in use, 7

but it frequently becomes desirable to leave both hands free, when talking, in order to be able to handle papers, take notes, etc.

Many attempts have heretofore been made to provide means for effectively supporting such a hand set on the shoulder and/or head of the user, so as to leave the hands free, but such attempts have, for the most part, proved unsatisfactory. The difficulty lies in the fact that it is impossible to elfectively maintain such a hand set in operative position by means of a single point support, or even a two-point support.

An object of the present invention is to provide a relatively stable three-point support for such a hand set, whereby it may be firmly held in operative position at all times.

Another object is to provide means for supporting the hand set at one point, on the shoulder and at two spaced points on the chest, thus permitting the users head to be P freely moved.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an effective three-point support, as above described, so constructed that all parts thereof may be folded, when not in use, into a position closely adjacent the handle, so as notdlto interfere with laying the instrument in the usual cra e.

A still further object is to devise means for locking the supporting parts in folded position, together with means for automatically moving them to open or operative position when the locking means is released.

It may be added that the present invention contemplates the manufacture of an entirely new hand set, as distinguished from a more attachment for existing sets, and it is proposed to construct such new set at the factory with a recess or pocket in the handle portion, in which recess or pocket the supporting means is completely housed when folded into inoperative position.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the improved hand set as it appears when resting in the usual cradle or stand;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the hand set of the invention as it appears when in use;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the improved hand set with the three-point supporting means extended in operative position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the handle showing the recess therein;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale, substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a view looking at the left hand end of Fig. 4, parts being in section;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section substantially on the line 7-7 of Fig 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section substantially on the line 88 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 indicates the usual stand or cradle on which the hand set rests when not in use, such hand set comprising a receiver 2, a transmitter 3 and a common handle 4, at the opposite ends of which the receiver and transmitter are mounted.

Formed in the handle portion of my improved hand set, when manufactured, is an elongated recess or pocket 5 in which the supporting means are housed when not in use.

My improved supporting means comprises an arm 7 pivotally mounted on a pin 6 extending transversely of the recess 5 adjacent the receiver end thereof, this pin preferably being disposed at an angle to the axis of the handle as shown in Fig. 4. A friction coating 8 of soft rubber or similar material is preferably provided at the end of the arm 7 so that the arm may frictionally grip or cling to the clothing of the user. A coil spring 9 surrounds the pin 6 and has one end bearing against the arm 7 and the other end bearing against the bottom of the recess 5 as shown in Fig 8, this spring tending to move the arm to and maintain it in extended operative position as shown.

The swinging movement of the arm 7 about its pivot is limited by a stop screw 7 set into an extension 7 of the arm 7. By adjusting the screw 7 the exact position of the arm when extended may be varied as desired.

My improved supporting means also comprises an arm 11 pivotally mounted on a pin 10 extending across the rec ss 5 at the end thereof adjacent the transmitter. A coil spring 12 surrounds the pin 10 and bears at one end against the arm 11 and at the other end against the bottom of the recess 5 thus tending to move the arm 11 to and maintain it in its extended operative position. The pivotal movement of the arm is limited by engagement of an extension 11 thereof with the bottom of the recess, as clearly shown in Fig. 7.

Pivotally mounted on the arm.11 by means of a pin 13 adjacent the pivot of the arm 11 is another arm 14. A spring 16 surrounds the pin 13 as shown in Fig. 6 with its ends bearing against the respective arms 11 and 14 in such a manner as to tend to swing the arm 14 to an angular position with respect to the arm 11 as shown in Fig. 6, this swinging movement being limited by a stop pin 15; thus, the arms 11 and 14 form a V-shaped unit pivoted at its apex on the pin 10.

As above mentioned this pin 10 is disposed at an angle to the axis of the handle 4 and the arm 11 is mounted on the pin in such a manner that when folded down it becomes parallel with and lies in the recess or pocket 5. When folding the arm 11, the arm 14 is swung on its pivot 13 so as to be brought into registry with the arm 11 and the two arms may then be folded down and housed within the recess. The arm 7 is then folded down on top of the arms 11 and 14, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

In order to maintain these arms in folded position within the recess or pocket I provide a latch member slidably mounted in the arm 4' and having at its end a push bottom 17 by which it may be moved. At its other end this latch member is formed with an up-turned detent 18 adapted to engage the outside of the arm 7 and thus lock all three arms in folded position as clearly shown in Fig. 5. A compression spring 19 is interposed between the head 17 of the latch and the arm 4, and this spring serves to move the latch to and maintain it in the position shown in Fig. 5. When it is desired to release the supporting arms, all that is necessary is to apply pressure to the head 17 of the latch. This disengages the detent 18 from the arm 7, and the springs 9, 12 and 16 then automatically swing the arms outwardly into the extended or operative position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

From an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the arms 7, 11 and 14 provide a three-point support for the hand set, the arm 7 engaging behind the shoulder of the user and the arms 11 and 14 resting at spaced points on the chest of the user. This provides a relatively stable support and it will be noted that the arm 7 and the arms 11 and 14 are located adjacent opposite ends of the hand set so that both ends are supported. It will be further noted that when resting on the three arms as shown in Fig. 2 the hand set does not bear against the users head, and thus the head may be freely moved.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, of an arm extending from said handle adjacent the receiver and adapted to engage behind the shoulder of the user, and a pair of divergent arms extending from said handle adjacent the transmitter and adapted to rest against the chest of the user when the set is in operative position, whereby a three-point support for said hand set is provided.

2. The combination with a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, of an arm mounted on said handle adjacent the receiver and extending at an angle thereto, and a pair of divergent arms mounted on said handle adjacent the transmitter and also extending at an angle to said handle, whereby a three-point support for said hand set is provided by the ends of said arms.

3. The combination with a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, of an arm pivotally mounted on said handle adjacent the receiver and adapted to extend at an angle to said handle, and a pair of arms connected to form a V-shaped unit, said unit being pivotally mounted at its apex on said handle adjacent the transmitter and also extending at an angle to said handle, and means for maintaining all of said arms in extended position, whereby a three-point support is provided for said hand set.

4. The combination with a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, of an arm pivotally mounted on said handle adjacent the receiver and adapted to extend at an angle to said handle, and a pair of arms connected to form a V-shaped unit, said unit being pivotally mounted at its apex on said handle adjacent the transmitter and also extending at an angle to said handle and resilient means for maintaining all of said arms in extended position.

5. The combination with a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, of an arm pivotally mounted on said handle adjacent the receiver and adapted to extend at an angle to said handle, and a pair of arms connected to form a V-shaped unit, said unit being pivotally mounted at its apex on said handle adjacent the transmitter and also extending at an angle to said handle, and means for adjusting as desired the angle at which said first mentioned arm extends.

6. In combination, a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, said handle having an elongated recess extending longitudinally thereof, an arm pivotally mounted in said recess adjacent each end thereof and foldable into said recess so as to be housed therein, and means for moving said arms to and maintaining them in a position in which they extend outwardly at an angle to said handle.

7. In combination, a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, said handle having an elongated recess extending longitudinally thereof, an arm pivotally mounted in said recess adjacent each end thereof and foldable into said recess so as to be housed therein, the axes of the 4 pivots on which said arms are mounted being disposed at in ailgle to each other and to the longitudinal axis of said an e.

8. In combination, a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, said handle having an elongated recess extending longitudinally thereof, an arm pivotally mounted in said recess adjacent each end thereof and foldable into said recess so as to be housed therein, releasable means for locking said arms in folded position in said recess, and resilient means operating, when said locking means is released, to swing said arms outwardly so that they extend at an angle to said handle.

9. In combination, a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, said handle having an elongated recess extending longitudinally thereof, an arm pivotally mounted in said recess adjacent one end of said recess, a second arm pivotally mounted in said recess adjacent the other end thereof, and a third arm pivoted at its end to said second arm and capable of occupying either a collapsed position in which it lies parallel with and closely adjacent to said second arm or a position in which it diverges therefrom, said first arm, and said second and third arms when the latter are collapsed, being foldable into said recess so as to be completely housed therein.

10. In combination, a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, said handle having an elongated recess extending longitudinally thereof, and an extendable arm pivotally mounted in said recess adjacent each end thereof and foldable into said recess so as to be housed therein, whereby when the arms are in their extended positions they can be employed to support the hand set in position adjacent the users face.

ll. In combination, a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, said handle having an elongated recess extending longitudinally thereof, and a plurality of arms mounted in said recess so as to be movable from folded positions within the recess to extended positions at an angle to the handle, whereby when the arms are in their extended positions they can be employed to support the hand set in position adjacent the users face.

12. In combination, a telephone hand set comprising a receiver and a transmitter disposed at opposite ends of a common handle, said handle having an elongated recess extending longitudinally thereof, and a plurality of arms mounted in said recess so as to be movable from folded positions within the recess to extended positions at an angle to the handle, whereby when the arms are in their extended positions they can be rested with their outer end portions on the shoulder area of the hand set user so as to support the hand set in position adjacent the users face.

No references cited. 

